This dataset contains species-level identifications of polychaetes collected during survey SOL5117 (R.V. Solander 30 July - 27 August, 2010). Animals were collected from the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf with a Smith McIntyre grab, with a few specimens from a benthic sled. Species-level identifications were undertaken by Chris Glasby and Charlotte Watson at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) and were delivered to Geoscience Australia on the 6 June 2013. See GA Record 2011/08 for further details on survey methods and specimen acquisition. Data is presented here as delivered by the taxonomist, and Geoscience Australia is unable to verify the accuracy of the taxonomic identifications. The data file contains two spreadsheets: - 'species list' includes all polychaete species as identified at the MAGNT, including family, abundance, and comments from the taxonomists. It also contains phyla-level identifications for non-polychaete specimens that were mistakenly sent to the MAGNT with the polychaete samples. CG = Chris Glasby; CW = Charlotte Watson - 'Stations' includes location and depth for each station at which grabs and sleds were deployed.

This dataset contains sediment and geochemistry information for the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR) in the Timor Sea collected by Geoscience Australia during September and October 2012 on RV Solander (survey GA0339/SOL5650). Further information on the survey is available in the post-survey report published as Geoscience Australia Record 2013/38: Nichol, S.L., Howard, F.J.F., Kool, J., Stowar, M., Bouchet, P., Radke, L., Siwabessy, J., Przeslawski, R., Picard, K., Alvarez de Glasby, B., Colquhoun, J., Letessier, T. & Heyward, A. 2013. Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (Timor Sea) Biodiversity Survey: GA0339/SOL5650 - Post Survey Report. Record 2013/38. Geoscience Australia: Canberra. (GEOCAT #76658).

Submerged relict reef systems and modern coral communities discovered around the Balls Pyramid shelf are presented as new evidence of extensive carbonate production at the boundary of reef-forming seas. Balls Pyramid is the southernmost island in a chain of island-reefs in the southwest Pacific Ocean, 24 km south of the southernmost known coral reef in the Pacific Ocean at Lord Howe Island. This paper explores the detailed geomorphic structure of the shelf through the production of a high resolution bathymetric model from multibeam echosounder data and depth estimates from satellite imagery. Key seafloor features identified include a large, mid shelf reef dominating the shelf landscape in 20 - 60 m water depth, mid shelf basins and channels, and shelf margin terrace sequences in 50 - 100 m depth. Sub-bottom profiles, backscatter, drill core and vibro-core data are used to investigate the seafloor composition. Drill cores extracted from the submerged reef surface confirm coral, coralline algae and cemented sands composition, and vibro-core material extracted from unconsolidated areas demonstrate substantial accumulation of carbonates shed from the reef surface. Underwater video imagery reveals abundant modern mesophotic reef communities, including hard corals, colonising the relict reef surface. This paper reveals prolific past reef growth and abundant modern coral growth on what was previously considered to be a planated volcanic shelf outside of reef-forming seas, thus extending understanding of reef evolution at, and beyond, the limits of growth.

This dataset contains identifications of arthropods collected during survey SOL4934 (R.V. Solander, 27 August - 24 September, 2009) and SOL5117 (R.V. Solander 30 July - 27 August, 2010). Animals were collected from the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf with a Smith McIntyre grab and identified to operational taxonomic units by an ecologist (Rachel Przeslawski). Specimens were lodged at the Australian Museum on the 27 August 2011. See GA Records 2010/09 2011/08 for further details on survey methods and specimen acquisition. The data files is organised into 3 spreadsheets: - 'arthropod list' presents identifications as they were entered in the laboratory during the identification process. 'Voucher' column refers to those specimens kept at Geoscience Australia as voucher specimens. 'Completion' refers to the order in which specimens and their operational taxonomic units were identified. - 'arthropod matrix' is the species composition matrix to be used for data analysis. Stations are listed as columns; species are listed as rows. - 'stations' includes the location and depth of each station from which grabs were deployed Arthropods were identified only to operational taxonomic unit by a non-taxonomist and so the accuracy of identifications is uncertain. See geocat no 72919 for all taxa identified from grabs from SOL4934 and geocat no 72926 (molluscs) and geocat (worms) from SOL5117.

Submarine canyons have been recognised as areas of significant ecological and conservation value. In Australia, 713 canyons were mapped and classified in terms of their geomorphic properties. Many of them are identified as Key Ecological Features (KEFs) and protected by Commonwealth Marine Reserves (CMRs) using expert opinion based on limit physical and ecological information. The effectiveness of these KEFs and CMRs to include ecologically significant submarine canyons as prioritised conservation areas needs to be objectively examined. This study used two local-based spatial statistical techniques, Local Moran's I (LMI) and the Gi* statistic, to identify hotspots of Australian canyons (or unique canyons) for conservation priority. The hotspot analysis identified 29 unique canyons according to their physical attributes that have ecological relevance. Most of these unique physical canyons are distributed on the southern margins. Twenty-four of the 29 canyons are enclosed by the existing KEFs and protected by CMRs to varied extents. In addition, the hotspot analysis identified 79 unique canyons according to their chlorophyll a concentrations, all of which are located in the South-east marine planning region. The findings can be used to update or revise the profile descriptions for some existing KEFs. In future, if the boundaries of these KEFs are deemed necessary to be reviewed, the new information and knowledge could also be used to enhance the conservation priorities of these KEFs.

This resource contains multibeam sonar backscatter data for the continental shelf area of Flinders Commonwealth Marine Reserve, northeast Tasmania. Multibeam data were collected by Geoscience Australia and University of Tasmania in May 2011 (survey GA0331) and June-July 2012 (survey GA0337) on RV Challenger. The survey used a Kongsberg EM3002 300 kHz multibeam sonar system mounted in single head configuration to broadly classify the seabed into hard (bedrock reef), soft (sedimentary) and mixed substrate types at select locations across the shelf. The 2011 survey involved reconnaissance mapping along a series of cross-shelf transects, covering a total of 767 line km. For the 2012 survey, multibeam data (bathymetry and backscatter) were collected at 40 pre-determined stations, each covering an area approximately 200 x 200 m. The location of stations was selected using a Generalised Random Tessellation Stratified (GRTS) sampling design that ensured an even spatial distribution of sites. Multibeam data was also collected along transits between GRTS stations (410 line km) and across a 30 km2 area of the outer shelf, incorporating areas of low profile reef, sandy shelf and three shelf-incising canyon heads. Backscatter data are gridded to 2 m spatial resolution. The 2012 survey also included seabed observations at the 40 GRTS stations using a drop camera and collection of sediment samples at 31 stations using a Shipek grab. The Flinders CMR survey was a pilot study undertaken in 2012 as part of the National Marine Biodiversity Hub's National Monitoring Evaluation and Reporting Theme. The aim of this theme is to develop a blueprint for the sustained monitoring of the South-east Commonwealth Marine Reserve Network, specifically; 1) to contribute to an inventory of demersal and epibenthic conservation values in the reserve and 2) to test methodologies and deployment strategies in order to inform future survey design efforts. Several gear types were deployed; including multibeam sonar, shallow-water (less than 150m) Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS), deep- water BRUVS (to 600 m), towed video and digital stereo stills. Embargo statement: Resource embargoed pending completion of NERP research. Release date 31 December 2014. Attribution statement: Data was sourced from the NERP Marine Biodiversity Hub. The Marine Biodiversity Hub is supported through funding from the Australian Government's National Environmental Research Program (NERP), administered by the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPAC). Dataset name: National Environmental Research Program (NERP) Marine Biodiversity Hub, 2012, Flinders Commonwealth Marine Reserve Shelf Backscatter

This study demonstrates that seabed topography and geodiversity play key roles in controlling the spatial dynamics of large fish predators over macro-ecological scales. We compiled ten years of commercial fishing records from the Sea Around Us Project and developed continental-scale catch models for an assemblage of large open-water fish (e.g. tuna, marlins, mackerels) for Western Australia. We standardised catch rates to account for the confounding effects of year, gear type and species body mass using generalised linear models, from which relative indices of abundance were extracted. We combined these with an extensive array of geophysical, oceanographic, biological, and anthropogenic data to (1) map the location of pelagic hotspots and (2) determine their most likely mechanistic drivers. We tested whether submarine canyons promote the aggregation of pelagic fish, and whether geomorphometrics (measures of seafloor complexity) represent useful surrogate indicators of their numbers. We also compared predicted fish distributions with the Australian network of Commonwealth Marine Reserves to assess its potential to provide conservation benefits for highly mobile predators. Both static and dynamic habitat features explained the observed patterns in relative abundance of pelagic fish. Geomorphometrics alone captured more than 50% of the variance, and submarine canyon presence ranked as the most influential variable in the North bioregion. Seafloor rugosity and fractal dimension, salinity, ocean energy, current strength, and human use were also identified as important predictors. The spatial overlap between fish hotspots and marine reserves was very limited in most parts of the EEZ, with high-abundance areas being primarily found in multiple use zones where human activities are subject to few restrictions.

Geoscience Australia completed an underwater towed video survey (GA survey 0338) of the Shelf Rocky Reefs Key Ecological Feature (KEF) in the vicinity of the Solitary Islands in collaboration with the New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage on the R.V. Bombora between 7 - 16 August 2012. The aim of the survey was to characterize benthic habitat in areas of the KEF, and to compare and contrast the effectiveness of different methods for capturing visual representations of biological communities. The survey collected forward-facing mono video, forward-facing stereo video, and downward facing stills along 12 transects, each of 2 km length. The geographic position of the vessel was determined using a GPS system, and the location of the towed camera body was recorded using a USBL system. The KEF survey was part of the National Marine Biodiversity Hub's National Monitoring Evaluation and Reporting Theme. The aim of this theme is to develop a blueprint for the sustained monitoring of the Commonwealth Marine Reserve Network, specifically; 1) to contribute to an inventory of demersal and epibenthic conservation values in the KEF and; 2) to test methodologies and deployment strategies in order to inform future survey design efforts. Embargo statement: Resource embargoed pending completion of NERP research. Release date 31 December 2014 Attribution statement: Users of NERP Marine Biodiversity Hub data are required to clearly acknowledge the source of the material in the format: "Data was sourced from the NERP Marine Biodiversity Hub" the Marine Biodiversity Hub is supported through funding from the Australian Government's National Environmental Research Program (NERP), administered by the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPaC)." Dataset name: National Environmental Research Program (NERP) Marine Biodiversity Hub, 2012, Flinders Commonwealth Marine Reserve Shelf Backscatter

This resource contains sediment data for the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR) in the Timor Sea collected by Geoscience Australia during September and October 2012 on RV Solander (survey GA0339/SOL5650). Seabed sediment samples were collected from four survey areas by either a Smith McIntyre grab or box corer at 62 stations, divided between Area 1 (n=22), Area 2 (n=17), Area 3 (n=21) and Area 4 (n=2). The Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve survey was undertaken as an activity within the Australian Government's National Environmental Research Program Marine Biodiversity Hub and was the key component of Research Theme 4 - Regional Biodiversity Discovery to Support Marine Bioregional Plans. Hub partners involved in the survey included the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Geoscience Australia, the University of Western Australia, Museum Victoria and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Data acquired during the survey included: multibeam sonar bathymetry and acoustic backscatter; sub-bottom acoustic profiles; physical samples of seabed sediments, infauna and epibenthic biota; towed underwater video and still camera observations of seabed habitats; baited video observations of demersal and pelagic fish, and; oceanographic measurements of the water column from CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) casts and from deployment of sea surface drifters. Further information on the survey is available in the post-survey report published as Geoscience Australia Record 2013/38 (Nichol et al. 2013).

This resource contains geochemistry data for the Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (CMR) in the Timor Sea collected by Geoscience Australia during September and October 2012 on RV Solander (survey GA0339/SOL5650). This dataset comprises total sediment metabolism (dissolved inorganic carbon production) measurments and DIC pools in the upper 2 cm of the seabed. The Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve survey was undertaken as an activity within the Australian Government's National Environmental Research Program Marine Biodiversity Hub and was the key component of Research Theme 4 - Regional Biodiversity Discovery to Support Marine Bioregional Plans. Hub partners involved in the survey included the Australian Institute of Marine Science, Geoscience Australia, the University of Western Australia, Museum Victoria and the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Data acquired during the survey included: multibeam sonar bathymetry and acoustic backscatter; sub-bottom acoustic profiles; physical samples of seabed sediments, infauna and epibenthic biota; towed underwater video and still camera observations of seabed habitats; baited video observations of demersal and pelagic fish, and; oceanographic measurements of the water column from CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) casts and from deployment of sea surface drifters. Further information on the survey is available in the post-survey report published as Geoscience Australia Record 2013/38 (Nichol et al. 2013): Nichol, S.L., Howard, F.J.F., Kool, J., Stowar, M., Bouchet, P., Radke, L., Siwabessy, J., Przeslawski, R., Picard, K., Alvarez de Glasby, B., Colquhoun, J., Letessier, T. & Heyward, A. 2013. Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve (Timor Sea) Biodiversity Survey: GA0339/SOL5650 - Post Survey Report. Record 2013/38. Geoscience Australia: Canberra. (GEOCAT #76658).